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The insiders' take on bringing great pieces of classical music to audiences in 21st-century Britain.

Radio 4,24 episodes

Episodes

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The Snowman by Howard Blake
A musician’s-eye view of classical music’s best-loved works
23 Dec 2025,28 mins
Max Richter's Four Seasons Recomposed with Elena Urioste and Odyssey Ensemble
Musicians invite us to eavesdrop on rehearsals for a modern-day classic.
11 Sep 2025,28 mins
Verdi's La Traviata with Opera Holland Park
Musicians invite us to eavesdrop on rehearsals for one of Verdi's most popular operas.
04 Sep 2025,28 mins
Berlioz's Symphonie Fantastique with Anja Bihlmaier and the BBC Philharmonic
The BBC Philharmonic Orchestra invite us into their rehearsal room.
28 Aug 2025,28 mins
Prokofiev's Peter and the Wolf with Manchester Camerata and Josie d'Arby
A musician's-eye view of classical music's best-loved works.
25 Dec 2024,28 mins
Holst's The Planets with the Royal College of Music and Sibelius Academy Orchestra
A musician's eye view of classical music's best-loved works.
09 Sep 2024,28 mins
Ravel’s Concerto for Left Hand with Nicholas McCarthy and the RPO
A musician’s-eye view of classical music’s best-loved works
02 Sep 2024,28 mins
Mozart’s Requiem with Sheffield Philharmonic Chorus
A musician’s-eye view of classical music’s best-loved works.
26 Aug 2024,28 mins
Tchaikovsky's The Nutcracker with the Royal Ballet Sinfonia
A musician’s-eye view of classical music’s best-loved works.
25 Dec 2023,28 mins
Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony with Anna Lapwood and the London Mozart Players
A musician’s-eye view of classical music’s best-loved works.
17 Aug 2023,28 mins
Schubert's 'Death and the Maiden' with the Heath Quartet
A musician’s-eye view of classical music’s best-loved works.
10 Aug 2023,28 mins
Fauré’s Requiem with the BBC National Chorus and Orchestra of Wales
A musician’s-eye view of classical music’s best-loved works
27 Jul 2023,28 mins
Stravinsky's Rite of Spring with the National Youth Orchestra
We eavesdrop on a rehearsal of Stravinsky's radical masterpiece.
05 Sep 2022,28 mins
Handel's Messiah with the CBSO
The City of Birmingham Symphony Chorus invite us behind the scenes as they rehearse.
29 Aug 2022,28 mins
Shostakovich's 5th Symphony with Marin Alsop and the Philharmonia
Marin Alsop and the Philharmonia Orchestra invite us behind the scenes as they rehearse.
22 Aug 2022,28 mins
Mozart's Clarinet Concerto with Jörg Widmann and the BBC SSO
A musician’s-eye view of one of classical music’s best-loved works
15 Aug 2022,28 mins
Elgar's Enigma Variations with Sir Mark Elder and the Hallé Orchestra
Eavesdropping on rehearsals, musicians give insiders' perspectives on preparing Elgar.
06 Sep 2021,28 mins
Brahms's Piano Concerto No 1 with Stephen Hough and the LPO
Concert pianist Stephen Hough gives us his musician's eye view on Brahms's First Concerto.
30 Aug 2021,28 mins
Schubert's Trout Quintet with Chineke! Chamber Ensemble
Chineke! Chamber Ensemble invites us to a rehearsal of Schubert's much-loved Trout Quintet
23 Aug 2021,28 mins
Vivaldi's Four Seasons with Rachel Podger and the Academy of Ancient Music
Rachel Podger and the Academy of Ancient Music take us inside Vivaldi's celebrated work
16 Aug 2021,28 mins
Mendelssohn's Octet with the Elias and Emmeline Quartets string quartets
Mendelssohn's amazing Octet with the Elias and Emmeline Quartets string quartets
27 Jul 2020,28 mins
Bruch's Violin Concerto No 1 with Nicola Benedetti
Nicola Benedetti gives us the player's perspective on Bruch's famous Violin Concerto No 1
20 Jul 2020,28 mins
Bach's Brandenburg Concerto No 2 with the Dunedin Consort
John Butt and the Dunedin Consort invite us to a rehearsal of Bach's Brandenburg Concertos
08 Apr 2020,28 mins
Elgar's Cello Concerto with Sheku Kanneh-Mason
Sheku Kanneh-Mason gives us the player's perspective on Elgar's much-loved Cello Concerto.
01 Apr 2020,28 mins